


The Key

by Kyuubiluver342



Category: Naruto
Genre: Fix-It, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 02:07:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyuubiluver342/pseuds/Kyuubiluver342
Summary: Naruto ends up back in time, when Madara and the first two hokages were alive. He has a chance to stop what Madara does next. Will he succeed?





	The Key

 

The pain was ungodly. The agony was unlike anything he had ever felt in his short life and believe him, he had felt a lot of pain in his life. It felt like he was being boiled alive, frozen to death and being electrocuted all at the same time. His body jerked and twitched with pain and there was nothing to stop the tears from rolling down his face.

“Is this it?” he whispered as the blood pooled around his body.

**“No. Not yet.”** a dark voice growled.

His eyes started to drift close. The last of his strength was waning and just as he thought he would take his last breath, his body gave a jerk and his eyes snapped open as he felt his body being controtated.

**“I refuse to let this be the end.”** the voice whispered harshly.

“Ku-Kurama?” he replied as everything became bright and then he knew no more.

 

Tobirama scanned the area from the top of the trees and nodded. The area was clear as far as he could find. Dropping from the top of the trees, he was greeted by his amused brother and his Uchiha friend.

“Paranoid as always, eh Brother?” Hashirama said with a smile.

“The fact that you’re not makes me question your sanity, Brother.” Tobirama said calmly.

He refused to take his eyes off the Uchiha with them. As far as he was concerned, he was the most dangerous creature in this forest. Just then, his senses went haywire. He grabbed his head, startled by the sudden flash of absolute power he was feeling.

“Tobirama!” he could hear his brother call, but his attention was solely on the overwhelming power coming their way.

“Look out!” he roared, grabbed both around the waists and diving out of the way.

He felt the ground shake, the trees over head snap in half like twigs as the power landed right where they had just been standing. The “BOOM” seemed to echo without the area and then all was quiet. Tobirama slowly lifted his head, meeting the terrified eyes of his older brother before slowly getting up. His whole body was shaking. Has he ever felt such overwhelming fear? Not since he was a young boy. Hashirama got to his feet and let out a small gasp, making Tobirama and Madara glance at each other.

“It’s...just a boy.” he muttered.

The two stood up and stared at what only could be considered a small crater. God, if they had still be standing there, the two heads of the great Senju and Uchiha clans would have been wiped off the face of the planet. Hashirama took a step towards the crater and Tobirama grabbed his arm.

“What are you doing?” he hissed.

“It’s just a child, Tobirama. He might need help.” he replied.

“You have lost your mind, Brother! He nearly just killed us!” Tobirama growled.

“He’s getting up.” Madara said, eyes spinning.

Sure enough, the body that was crumpled at the bottom of the crater was slowly twitching and moving. Tobirama swallowed back bile as he stared. The body was burned to almost a crisp, skin had fallen away to reveal muscle and bones. The only way they even knew it was human and a man nonetheless was by the shape and the lack of breast tissue.

“What do we do?” Madara asked.

He seemed curious more than anything else and that just made Tobirama’s stomach turn. Of course he was be interested in something so grotesque. He was probably enjoying the suffering of another person.

“He needs help.” Hashirama said sternly.

By this point, the body had gotten up and Tobirama felt such sorrow at the sight of a young man staring back at them. Half his face was almost completely gone, flesh and teeth on show. The other half was still there however, they could see the tanned, marked cheek, the pained blue eyes and the tears rolling heavy down his face. Hashirama moved closer again and Tobirama let him go. As if approaching a wounded animal, Hashirama held out his arms and gave a soft smile.

“It’s ok. We are here to help.” he said.

Madara let out a soft snort. Hashirama just shot him a glare over his shoulder before turning back to the boy before them. The boy whispered something that only Hashirama could hear before fell into Hashirama’s arms, only making Tobirama’s eyes widen in alarm.

“Brother! Your arms!” Tobirama said in horror.

The chakra was so corrosive that they could see Hashirama’s skin starting to burn away. Panic swept through Tobirama, but he was stopped by Madara.

“Stop. The chakra is burning him, yes, but it’s little more than a flesh wound. The boy has a tight rein on his chakra. He is only being burned because he is in direct contact.” Madara said.

“Even so!” Tobirama snapped.

“Enough! The boy needs help.” Hashirama said.

With gentle hands, he scooped the boy up and stood up, making him whimper. His eyes rolled around his head and then landed on Madara. The blue, once foggy, cleared ever so slightly.

“S-S-Sasuke?” the boy called, one hand shakingly reaching out.

Madara frowned and stepped forward. He took the young man’s hand and held it, ignoring the burn of his own skin. It seems just the small touch seemed to comfort him and the boy let out a soft sigh before going limp. The corrosive chakra seemed to disappear as well.

“We should get him somewhere safe.” Hashirama said.

“You must be joking.” Tobirama replied angrily.

“Enough, Tobirama.” Hashirama said calmly.

Tobirama straightened his spine. Hashirama never snapped at him like this, but he could see there was more to this than he was seeing.

“Tobirama, you take the lead. Madara, can you follow after me?” Hashirama commanded.

They both nodded before they started heading for the small village they called home. When they landed, Hashirama started towards home before Tobirama coughed.

“Perhaps it’s best not to take him to our home? What about the Hokage Tower?” Tobirama asked.

“He needs medical attention.” Hashirama said.

“I am not really sure about that.” Madara replied.

“How so?” Hashirama said confused.

Madara walked over and held up his arm. Before their very eyes, they watched as the skin started to stitch itself back together, as skin slowly covered the revealed flesh.

“What is happening here?” Tobirama asked.

“His body is healing itself at an incredible rate.” Madara said.

“But how?” Hashirama asked confused.

The three looked at each other, but no one had the answer.

 

It had been three days since then. In the end, it was decided the boy would be moved to s small, empty house between the Hokage Tower, Senju compound and Uchiha compound. That way one of the three could keep an eye on him. As Madara came to relieve Tobirama of guard duty, they were both startled by a soft moan and the boy moving for the first time.

“Go get Hashirama.” Madara said.

For once, Tobirama didn’t argue and ran off. Madara sat down beside the young man, eyeing his chakra system. Slowly, the blue eyes fluttered open and the boy seemed to stare at the ceiling for the longest time before Madara spoke.

“What is your name.” he demanded.

He found himself pinned by the bluest eyes he had ever seen. It was like someone had stolen a piece of the sky and placed them in this boy’s eyes. They had only seen glimpses of them over the past three days. To see them in all their glory was a little amazing.

“Uz…” the boy found himself coughing harshly and Madara sighed as he reached for some water nearby.

After helping him get some water down, the door opened to reveal the brothers had returned. Hashirama smiled brightly.

“I see our friend has finally woke up.” he said politely.

Hashirama sat down and leaned in a bit. The young man’s attention was drawn to him. Madara couldn’t blame him.

“My name is Hashirama Senju. I am the head of this village. What clan do you hail from?” he asked calmly.

The boy seemed to stare at him and then his eyes drifted to Tobirama before sliding to Madara again.

“Uzumaki.” the boy whispered.

Hashirama immediately frowned. Tobirama scowled as well.

“Uzumaki?” Hashirama said, eying his hair with confusion.

“Is there a problem?” Madara asked.

“The Uzumaki clan is a side branch of the Senju clan, but they are known for their vibrant red hair. I have never seen one with blond.” Hashirama admitted.

“So he’s lying.” Tobirama stated coldly.

“But he’s not.” Madara said.

The two looked at him, his eyes spinning.

“He’s not?” Hashirama asked.

“His breathing, heart rate, chakra and body are all calm. If he was lying, I would see it clear as day.” Madara replied.

“Then he’s delusional.” Tobirama replied.

“I am not sure about that either.” Madara said.

“How so?” Hashirama asked before Tobirama could say anything.

“His chakra reminds me a lot of your’s in a way. Plus he has a lot of it.” Madara replied.

“So it is possible…” Hashirama frowned.

“Tell me, what is your first name?” he asked.

The boy gave a slow blink before speaking.

“Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki.” he replied.

Hashirama nodded.

“It is nice to meet you, Naruto-san. Though I do wish it were under better circumstances.” Hashirama said.

The boy, Naruto, gave a small smile.

“Am I dead?” he asked.

The three started, confused by what he was saying.

“N-No, you are very much alive. You were badly hurt, but you healed rather...quickly.” Hashirama said slowly.

Naruto’s smile dropped and he suddenly looked very lost. He looked between them again, his eyes lingering on Madara longer than the other two, before he spoke again.

“But...you’re all dead.” he muttered.

Hashirama blinked before looking at Tobirama, who gave him a confused look back. Dead?

“We are all very much alive, thank you.” Madara said simply.

“I saw you all die.” Naruto replied.

“That is strange because we have never met you before.” Tobirama said coldly.

Naruto’s eyes started to drift away, they could see them hazing over and Hashirama sighed.

“Perhaps things will be clearer when you are feeling better.” Hashirama said standing.

A single hand shot out and grabbed Hashirama’s wrist, much to the start of everyone. Tobirama went tense, hand on his weapon. Madara too was tense, but Hashirama seemed curious and bent down.

“Why didn't you let me die?” Naruto whispered.

The hand fell away and the young man drifted off into sleep. Hashirama stood there, staring before he turned away. Tobirama and Madara followed him out. Hashirama stood outside the door, arms crossed, staring at the sky. The sun was setting and the fire of the sky seemed to reflect in Hashirama’s eyes.

“Are you alright, Brother?” Tobirama asked.

“I am...not sure.” he admitted.

The Senju and the Uchiha shared a look of shock. Hashirama never seemed unsure of anything.

“What causes you distress?” Tobirama asked.

Hashirama seemed to look around before he started walking, the two forced to follow him. They walked for a while, just wandering around as Hashirama lead the way. Finally he spoke.

“When we found him, he asked me something that has haunted me a bit.” Hashirama admitted.

They were standing on the cliffside, overlooking the small village below.

“And that was?” Madara asked curiously.

“He asked...if he was finally going to see his family again.” Hashirama muttered.

“That is never a good question.” Tobirama sighed.

They all knew what it meant.

“So he is most certainly an orphan at the very least. Perhaps that’s why we have never seen or heard of him before.” Tobirama stated.

“But he knows us.” Hashirama said rubbing his chin.

“And he thinks we’re dead.” Madara said boredly.

“And he’s seen us die or so he says….I am so confused.” Hashirama said rubbed the back of his neck.

“Like I said, he could be delusional.” Tobirama replied.

“But I am not so sure of that. Remember his clothes?” Hashirama turned to them.

“What was left of them? Yes.” Madara said.

“And we confirmed that the material is like nothing we have ever seen.” Hashirama sighed.

“Correct. It was a blend of materials, most of which we can’t even get around here.” Tobirama stated.

“We also have to consider his chakra.” Hashirama muttered.

“Most of which we have confirmed isn’t his. He has a large supply of his own, but the corrosive chakra that caused such damage was not his.” Tobirama said.

“And then we have that seal to worry about.” Madara said.

The three looked at each other. The seal, which had been found when they had stripped him had come as a shock, but they weren’t sure what to do with it, so they had left it alone.

“We know he has something sealed within him. It is obvious, but what?” Hashirama said.

“If I might make a suggestion?” Madara asked.

“Go on.” Hashirama said.

“I think...it might be the Kyuubi.” Madara explained.

The brothers sucked in a breath. The Kyuubi? The demon above all demons? The very idea was shocking, but it would make sense.

“What do we do then? Surely if that is the case, there must be someone looking for him. Who would be sure a fool to let such a weapon out of their grasp?” Tobirama demanded.

“Is he a weapon though?” Madara asked.

“What else could he be?” Tobirama demanded.

“A child...a very lost child. A very lost child that is very scared.” Hashirama said kicking a rock.

“Brother, please. Do not get sentimental about this boy. He is dangerous.” Tobirama said coldly.

Hashirama just sighed.

 

Naruto woke again two days later. This time, Hashirama was there watching him as he read some scrolls. He had learned that, despite their first meeting, the boy had a very calming presence, even asleep. Both Madara and Tobirama had admitted that to him privately, much to his amusement. A soft moan made him look over and he smiled as those blue eyes opened again.

“Good afternoon. Sleep well?” he said politely.

He didn’t answer, just continued to stare.

“As I said before, my name is Hashirama. Though based on our conversation from earlier, you already know that.” Hashirama said, placing his scroll down.

Naruto once again said nothing.

“Naruto-san, I know this might be confusing and I understand that, but I need you to answer some of my questions, ok?” Hashirama asked.

Tobirama picked that time to enter the room and Hashirama looked at him quickly. Tobirama crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, not saying a word.

“Naruto-san, I need to know what village you are from.” Hashirama said slowly.

“Konoha.” Naruto finally replied.

The brother’s locked eyes, startled.

“Konoha…?” Hashirama repeated as Naruto gave a stiff nod.

“I see.” Hashirama said when Naruto didn’t say anything else.

“Who is the leader of your village?” Tobirama asked.

Naruto’s brow furled a bit.

“Obaa-chan.” he muttered.

Hashirama snorted before coughing.

“We need a name.” Tobirama demanded.

“Tsunade.” Naruto said after a moment.

“Tsunade…?” Tobirama paused.

Hashirama found he actually liked that name. He noted it in the back of his mind for later.

“And who was the leader before her?” Hashirama asked curiously.

Naruto was starting to sweat.

“Oji-chan...Sarutobi.” Naruto muttered.

Sarutobi? Wasn’t that the name of one of Hashirama’s students? The brothers locked eyes again.

“I see...Naruto, what is the date today?” Hashirama asked.

Naruto glanced at him and there was confusion in his eyes. When he said the date, both brother’s eyes nearly popped out of their heads. That date was clearly in the future. Did they have a time traveller on their hands? Could that explain why everything about this boy didn’t make any sense?

“Naruto-san, listen to me. That date you just told us is in the future. Are you telling me you travelled back in time?” Tobirama demanded.

Naruto let out a soft moan and turned his head away. His body was covered in a layer of sweat and his face was flushed.

“It hurts.” Naruto said, only hand coming up to rest on his stomach.

Hashirama stood up and pulled the sheet down from his body, only to suck in a sharp breath. The seal on his stomach was glowing a nasty orange, the red chakra from before starting to leak out.

“Go get Madara.” Hashirama demanded as his hands started to glow blue.

Tobirama booked it and Hashirama focused on trying to keep the chakra from leaking out more. He hoped and prayed his brother would be quick. As he managed to get the chakra contained, the door opened and Madara with Tobirama stood there.

“Never a dull day with this boy, is there?” Madara demanded as he moved closer.

Suddenly, Naruto let out the most demonic growl any of them had ever heard. A hand snapped out and Madara found himself before choked with one hand, dragged to his knees by the bedside.

**“Uchiha.”** Naruto’s voice was mixed with another, glowing red eyes told them everything they needed to know.

“Kyuubi.” Madara replied, choking.

“Madara!” Hashirama reached over, but as soon as he did so, those angry red eyes turned to him and he felt something hit him in the stomach. 

He hit the wall behind him with a cry of shock. The punch, even with the angle the boy had, had incredible strength. He would be amazed if he didn’t have a cracked rib because of it.

“Brother!” Tobirama yelled.

“Wait!” Hashirama said, holding up his hand.

He got back on his feet and stumbled back towards the bed where Naruto’s grip on Madara was still strong.

“Naruto-san...Kyuubi-san, listen to me, you must stop!” Hashirama demanded.

The red eyes locked with his, the rage was undeniable.

**“I will stop when he is dead by my hands.”** the demon growled.

“If you do that, you will change the course of history forever!” Hashirama said.

**“For the better! I may be a demon, but I have never met a creature like this man. His evil will destroy you all!”** was the reply he got.

“But it is not your hand! It is Naruto’s hand! Do you think he would want to watch someone die like this?” Hashirama demanded.

The demon let out a barking laugh.

**“Do you know how this boy has suffered because of this man and his pitiful excuse for a clan? Do you know what this boy has sacrificed? All the blood, sweat, tears this boy has shed for this clan? To wipe them off the face of the planet would be a blessing to us all!”** Kyuubi hissed, eyes locked with Madara’s.

“I say let him do it.” Tobirama stated.

“Yes, we all know what your stance is, Brother!” Hashirama snapped.

Tobirama just shrugged. Kyuubi let out another low growl, his nails digging into Madara’s neck before one of his eyes flashed blue. His other hand came around and grabbed his own wrist.

“Kurama….please.” Naruto’s soft voice seemed to echo without the room and there was a pause before the hand released it’s grip.

The red started to fade from his eyes, the marks on his face started to return to normal and Naruto let out a soft sigh.

“Thank you...Kurama.” Naruto muttered before he fell back asleep.

The other three were left alone and as Madara slowly got to his feet, Hashirama dropped into the chair by the bedside. The scroll on the floor was forgotten.

 

“A time...traveller.” Madara said simply.

“It seems so, yes.” Hashirama muttered.

“So he was telling the truth about himself. He is an Uzumaki, but he’s one from the future...who also happens to be an orphan.” Tobirama rubbed his eyes.

“And the container of the Kyuubi...whom he seems to have a good relationship with it...him...the Kyuubi.” Hashirama rubbed his chin.

“But the Kyuubi also seems to have an extreme hatred of Uchihas.” Tobirama said a little smug.

Madara just gave him a dull look as Hashirama finished healing the bruises on his neck.

“Thank you for your input. It was truly useful.” Madara replied coldly.

“But...it does tell us something.” Hashirama moved away and the two looked at him.

“And that is?” Madara asked rubbing his neck.

“That, while the Kyuubi is extremely angry at you and the Uchiha clan, he did say that his container has shed “blood, sweat and tears” for your clan. Which means in the future, the Uchiha clan must be prospering.” Hashirama said with a smile.

Madara paused. That was true.

“We shouldn’t assume.” Tobirama said annoyed.

“But it’s nice to think about. He comes from Konoha, Brother! Our village! He’s one of our children. He’s our future.” Hashirama said and when he said it like that, with such simple joy, Tobirama could, maybe for just one second, believe that everything was going to be ok.

 

Another day went by and this time it was Tobirama who was there when the boy awoke. He had started moving fitfully in his sleep, sweat dotting his brow and as Tobirama watched, he saw the boy’s hands started to shake violently.

“Sasuke…” the name was muttered and Tobirama frowned.

“Sasuke!” it was said a bit louder.

“SASUKE!” the boy jerked straight up, hand out, eyes wide.

Tobirama watched this all, staring at his tense body, outstretched hand, clear distress before speaking.

“You’re awake.” Tobirama stated.

Naruto’s hand fell into his lap and he blinked a few times before turning to look.

“Tobirama….” Naruto paused before looking at his hands on his lap.

This was the first time he had the boy alone and he wasn’t going to ruin it. He leaned in and glared.

“You will tell me all you know. You will tell me what happens in the future so I may stop it before it begins.” Tobirama demanded.

Naruto just stared at him before looking away.

“I don’t even know where to begin.” Naruto replied.

The door took that moment to slide open and Madara stood there. Naruto tensed to the point that Tobirama thought his spine might snap.

“Madara.” Naruto said nervously.

Madara looked at him and then Tobirama, eyebrow raised.

“I do hope you weren’t bothering him, Tobirama.” Madara said calmly.

“I was asking him a question before you rudely came in. Did you ever hear of knocking?” Tobirama demanded.

“I considered it, but considering it’s only you, I figured why bother?” Madara replied.

A snort made them pause. They looked over to see Naruto covering his mouth, but clearly he was laughing at them.

“Is something funny to you?” Tobirama demanded.

“No, it’s just…” and Naruto was smiling so sadly it almost hurt to look at.

“You both reminded me of my best friend and I.” he said softly.

“Believe me, we are not friends.” Madara said.

“No matter how much I try.” someone said.

Hashirama took that time to walk in and Tobirama scowled. He would have to try and interrogate Naruto privately later.

“How are you feeling?” Hashirama asked when he came in.

Naruto frowned and looked himself over. His body had completely healed by this point and he had slept for almost two weeks straight.

“I don’t know.” Naruto admitted softly.

“That doesn’t…” Tobirama started, but trailed off when Hashirama shot him a dark look.

“That’s ok. You have been having a rough time the last few days. Do you...remember anything?” Hashirama asked.

Naruto’s eyes darted to Madara and he nodded. 

“I’m sorry...for attacking you.” Naruto said.

Madara blinked before nodding.

“It was not your fault, but thank you.” Madara said simply.

Naruto flashed him a smile and Hashirama coughed.

“Naruto-san, we have a few questions still. We understand that you are from...the future? Correct?” Hashirama asked.

Naruto tensed before sighing.

“I guess so. I’m not really sure what happened or how I got here.” Naruto admitted.

“Perhaps just start at that beginning then?” Hashirama suggested, but Naruto gave a snort.

“We’ll be here for the next two weeks.” Naruto replied rubbing his eyes.

“Alright then. Let’s focus instead on the important things then. Like how did you become the container for the Kyuubi.” Tobirama demanded.

Naruto’s hand flew to his stomach and he looked away. He swallowed.

“My father...was the Fourth Hokage. Minato Namikaze met my mother Kushina Uzumaki and fell in love. She was the container of the Kyuubi, but then she became pregnant. They had to leave the village and release the seal a bit so I could be born. They were attacked and the Kyuubi was set free. My father chose to use...me because of my mother’s clan and their ability to contain the Kyuubi.” Naruto explained.

Hashirama looked at the floor.

“It was...an Uchiha who attack them, was it not?” Tobirama asked.

Naruto paused. He gave a slow nod and Madara swallowed.

“Why?” Hashirama asked.

Naruto looked at them each in turn before pausing at Madara.

“Because he wanted to destroy the village. He wanted to lay waste to Konoha.” Naruto said.

“But why?” Hashirama asked.

“Because...because Hashirama was picked to be the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha was not. Because Madara Uchiha then attempted to murder the First Hokage and forcefully take control of Konoha, but he failed and the Uchiha clan has been angry ever since.” Naruto explained.

It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Hashirama stared the the young man before him, mouth hanging open while Tobirama turned to his brother, his rage clear.

“I told you he would do this! I told you he wasn’t to be trusted!” Tobirama said.

“Silence!” Madara snapped.

Madara was shaking, his eyes spinning and Naruto shrunk back into himself.

“That...can’t be true.” Hashirama said slowly.

All of them looked at him.

“That...can’t be true. There must be more to the story. Madara and I…” Hashirama swallowed.

Naruto let out an empty chuckle.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Naruto said.

“How can you?” Hashirama demanded.

“Because...I had a relationship of my own with an Uchiha once…” Naruto’s eyes started to water and he bowed his head.

“What happened to him?” Madara asked.

“I don’t know. We fought...I remember blood. I don’t know what happened next, but I ended up here. I pray...he’s still alive.” Naruto whispered.

“The Kyuubi…” Tobirama started, but was cut off.

“Kurama. His name is Kurama.” Naruto said.

Tobirama blinked.

“The bijuu have names?” Hashirama asked curiously, trying to clear the air a bit.

Focus on something else. Focus on something easier to swallow than the betrayal of his closest friend.

“Yes, I have met them all.” Naruto smiled and it was warm.

“I see…” Hashirama didn’t seem to know what to say to that.

“You said he was an Uchiha. How is my clan doing?” Madara asked.

Naruto froze, a look of complete panic on his face before he looked at Madara.

“They’re dead...Most of them anyway. Sasuke is the only one left.” Naruto finally said.

Madara looked shocked, stricken actually. Hashirama placed a hand on his shoulder as he leaned back against a wall.

“What happened?” Madara asked, but it came out strained.

“There was a massacre….Itachi Uchiha...Sasuke’s older brother killed everyone.” Naruto explained.

Madara rubbed his eyes and tried to stop his brain from spinning. His clan was gone, destroyed by one of their own. Only one left and he might not be alive still. Madara couldn’t have imagined that their worst fear would come from inside their own clan.

“Why did he do it? Do you know?” Tobirama asked.

Naruto sighed.

“From what I learned, he did it to stop another war from breaking out. Itachi grew up during the Fourth Great Shinobi War and his father was planning a  coup d'etat against the village. He left only Sasuke alive...I never knew if it was an act of mercy or cruelty. Maybe both.” Naruto stated.

Madara slowly walked over and sat down in a chair, staring at the floor. His clan, his beautiful clan, would be wiped out in a few short years. The very thought made his stomach turn.

“I’m sorry.” Naruto said and he looked up.

Naruto’s eyes were so sad.

“Sasuke...he was my best friend. I would have done anything for him. But the death of his clan destroyed him. He became obsessed with rage and revenge. He left our village, betrayed our village and became a traitor so that he could hunt down his brother and kill him. There is a good chance that, even if he is alive, he will be executed for treason and that will be the end of the Uchiha clan.” Naruto stated.

“Blood, sweat and tears. That’s what Kyuubi...Kurama told us.” Hashirama whispered to his brother.

“When Sasuke first left, I did everything I could to stop him, but it wasn’t enough. I had to get stronger, so I kept training. I trained and trained and trained until I was exhausted. I knew he had years on me. He had family scrolls and training I never got as an orphan, but I had to do something. I made a promise to bring him back and I was going to keep it. Now, I realize maybe all I was doing was bringing him back for his execution.” Naruto’s voice cracked and he covered his face with his hands. 

Madara saw his shoulders shake and understood. This boy, this young man, mourned for his friend like he was blood, like they were truly family. Hashirama placed a hand on his shoulder and Naruto let out a hiccuped sob.

“I’m sorry.” Naruto whispered.

“No...I am.” Madara said softly.

He interlaced his fingers and stared down at them, mind numb. Everything he had ever done was for the betterment of his clan. Agreeing to work alongside the Senju had been for the betterment of his clan. Swallowing his pride and allowing Hashirama to become the First Hokage was for the betterment of his clan, but now? He saw it might all be for not.

“I need a moment.” Madara said getting up.

He was gone before anyone could say anything. He found himself standing on the cliff, overlooking the village below. At the very edge, he could see his clan’s compound and there was a flash of rage inside him that seemed to burn him. His eyes flashed and he idly thought about what the young man had said. He had failed, so his clan had suffered, but if he succeeded…

 

The next day, Madara slid open the door to Naruto’s room. The young man was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, boredly.

“I see you enjoy sitting in silence about as much as Hashirama does.” Madara said simply.

Naruto blinked and smiled.

“Yeah, I’m not good at sitting still.” he admitted sitting up.

Madara took note of the chains on his wrists. So it was clear Tobirama had gotten through to his brother about putting the boy under more security.

“The chains don’t suit you.” he said distastefully.

Naruto blinked and looked at them before shrugging.

“If it makes Tobirama feel better, I don’t see what the problem is.” Naruto said simply.

A gentle soul. Always caring about how others felt. Good, he could use that. Naruto glanced at him and shifted nervously.

“Are you ok?” Naruto asked and he gave a small smile.

“It was quite a shock yesterday, I apologize for leaving so suddenly and rudely.” Madara said sitting down.

Naruto just flashed him a smile.

“It’s ok. I know it must have been hard to listen to.” Naruto was playing with the blanket on his lap.

“Do I scare you?” Madara asked.

Lure him into a false sense of security. Make him trust you.

“Huh? Well, not really. Kurama is just really mad at you. When you are around, he starts yelling.” Naruto winced.

“And you communicate with him regularly?” Madara asked curiously.

Learn about him. Remember the things he likes, his dislikes. Use that knowledge against him.

“Well yeah, we kind of have to. I mean we didn’t talk a lot at first, but now, well I can’t imagine living without him.” Naruto said simply.

Let him believe you are a friend, a confidant. Don’t let him see what you are really planning.

“Still, it must be difficult.” Madara stated smoothly.

Naruto gave a small shrug.

“It was at first. But now? I don’t know, it’s like having a friend who is always by my side.” Naruto laughed.

Madara chuckled as well. If he wanted to succeed, the boy was the key. Madara would not fail again.

 

Madara started spending a lot of time with Naruto, just simply chatting with him. Naruto, he learned, was a bright, gentle soul with a deep love for those around him. He spoke highly of his various friends and Madara slowly learned each and every one of them from his stories. The one he spoke of most often, of course, was Sasuke.

Sasuke, from what Madara had picked up, was a lost soul. The death of his clan had sent him on a spiral downwards that no one had been able to stop, not even Naruto himself and Naruto blamed himself deeply for the loss of his friend. 

“Tell me, Naruto-san, you said you wished to be Hokage, correct?” Madara asked curiously.

“That’s right! It was a dream of mine since I was a kid.” Naruto smiled brightly.

“But why? From our discussions alone, you have admitted the village did not treat you right.” Madara said.

Naruto paused, looking at the ceiling for a while before speaking.

“When I was a kid, I started saying that because I wanted people to pay attention to me, even if they were just laughing at me. I thought if I had a crazy dream like that, they might just listen to me for a moment. Later on, I actually started to believe I wanted to be Hokage. It still was about the attention, but at the same time, I wanted to protect the friends I made, the village I loved.” Naruto admitted.

Madara paused. For him, it had been about bettering his clan, giving them a higher social status. 

“But what if it never happened?” Madara asked.

Naruto shrugged.

“There was always a small part of me that said it might not. That I might die before then, but as long as I had that dream, it was something to cling to when everything else seemed lost.” Naruto said.

Madara sat back in his chair. Naruto was smarter than he seemed.

“Can I ask you something now?” Naruto asked, eyes curious.

Madara paused, but gave a nod in the end.

“Hashirama and you seem close. Are you friends?” Naruto asked.

“Yes and we have been since we were children. It has not been an easy friendship, especially since our clans were at war, but I think that is why our village will be stronger.” Madara explained.

Naruto nodded along as he looked away. Madara paused, something about the question seemed off to him.

“Why do you ask?” Madara asked.

“In our village, it was told to us that you two were mortal enemies. That your desire for power caused you to attack Hashirama.” Naruto muttered.

“History, you will find, is written by the winners. They, more often than not, twist the truth for their own needs.” Madara stated.

He had no doubt Tobirama had probably spread those lies. He seemed like the kind of man. Naruto scuffed.

“I know.” Naruto said annoyed.

Madara smiled.

“Would you like to go for a walk? I can’t imagine being trapped inside all day is very comfortable.” Madara said standing.

Naruto paused and eyed the chains around his wrists.

“Are you sure? Tobirama might get upset.” Naruto muttered.

“As long as you are with me, I believe it should be fine.” Madara said.

After removing the chains, they stepped outside. Naruto held up an arm, not used to the bright sun after being inside so long. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh of delight.

“I missed this.” Naruto said smiling.

“I find myself agreeing with you. I cannot stand to be trapped inside.” Madara stated.

They started to walk, Naruto letting Madara led the way. It was so strange, the village was so empty compared to what Naruto knew. Naruto pointed out a few places, like where his apartment building would be built and where his favorite ramen place would be built. Naruto stopped at one spot and stared for a while.

“This...is where the Academy will be.” he said slowly.

Madara looked around. It was a wide open spot, so he wasn’t surprised. Naruto had told him some stories about the Academy, but mostly of his friends.

“You seem upset.” Madara said.

Naruto wandered over to a small twig of a tree nearby and paused.

“One day, this tree will grow up big and strong. There will be a swing on this tree…” Naruto trailed off.

Madara paused, wondering what that had to do with anything. Naruto kicked a rock and sighed.

“I failed the exam three times. I just couldn't do the Clone Jutsu, no matter how hard I tried.” Naruto stared at the small tree.

“I just...I didn’t know what to do after the third time. I felt lost.” Naruto said.

He sighed deeply.

“And then Mitsuki-sensei came. He was always nice to me, I thought...He must be looking out for me. Iruka-sensei was always mean to me, so I thought he must want me to fail. Mitsuki-sensei told me that maybe, just maybe, there was another way to pass and I believed him. He had me steal a scroll from the Hokage Tower.” Naruto choked a bit and Madara felt rage build inside him.

“I just wanted to prove myself, but he used me. Had me steal the scroll so he could steal it from me and kill me. He hated me, because of Kurama. I never knew.” Naruto said.

“Never knew?” Madara asked confused.

“About the Kyuubi. About why people ignored me, told their kids to stay away from me, hated me. I was never told about the Kyuubi.” Naruto admitted.

Madara felt his stomach drop. To think, for years, he hadn’t known. A child, hated by a whole village and never knew why. The idea was sickening.

“He told me. Iruka-sensei saved me, but he was stronger. He would have killed us both, but I had managed to learn one thing from the scroll before they found me.” Naruto grinned.

“Do you want to see it?” Naruto asked childishly.

Madara nodded and Naruto took a step back. He made a hand sign and suddenly there were five Narutos. Madara raised an eyebrow, impressed.

“I see. Interesting.” Madara said as they popped away.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck.

“I learned that, because I have so much chakra, simple jutsus are hard for me to do. I don’t have very good chakra control.” Naruto said sadly.

“I’m not sure if that has to do with how much chakra you have, but the failure of your teachers to help you.” Madara explained.

“Huh? You think so?” Naruto asked.

“You are an orphan, therefore it was the job of your village to take you under its wing and train you properly. They failed to do so. Due to this, you had to figure it out on your own for the most part and because you had so much chakra, you had enough to spare. In a sense, your village failed you.” Madara stated.

Naruto looked down with a frown.

“I guess…” Naruto sighed.

“Let’s talk about something else.” Madara declared and Naruto flashed him a smile.

As they walked away,. Madara’s head was already spinning. Naruto had so much more potential than he had originally believed. The Kyuubi was certainly one thing, but it was clear the young man was an unrefined weapon. Madara would have to fix that.

 

“You want to what?” Tobirama demanded angrily.

Madara sighed and eyed the hot headed man with distaste. Some days, dealing with him was a chore in and of itself.

“Since you seem to be going deaf in your old age, I will repeat myself again; I wish to take Naruto-san under my wing.” Madara said.

“You can’t seriously believe we will let you do such a thing after what we have learned.” Tobirama stated coldly.

“The boy needs guidance and a strong hand to help him in these trying times. I believe my clan will give him the structure he is missing.” Madara said calmly, his eyes instead focusing on Hashirama.

He had been quiet this whole time, eyes closed and arms crossed. Tobirama seemed enraged by the very idea, but was waiting for his brother to say something.

“Admittedly, I am concerned about a few things, but I also agree with you, my friend.” Hashirama said with a sigh.

“Brother!” Tobirama hissed.

“Naruto-san has had a rough life. He needs guidance and to be honest, we have no idea if we will ever be able to send him home. Our clan right now is too busy to take on the challenge, but this could help our clans become closer since he is an Uzumaki. A common goal is always a good way to connect two families.” Hashirama said with a smile.

Madara smiled back as he sipped his tea. Perfect.

 

“I’m going to live with you?” Naruto asked startled.

“Correct. Hashirama and myself have agreed you are not a threat to our village, but that you need stability and a better teacher than you had before. I have just the person for it.” Madara said.

Tobirama stood off to the side, scowling angrily while Hashirama stood beside Naruto’s bedside.

“Hey, I have had good teachers ok! Ero-senin was a pervert, but he was the best there was! And Kakashi-sensei might have been a pervert too, but he’s a great teacher!” Naruto said angrily.

“But they did not teach you the structure you need to flourish.” Madara replied calmly.

He could see Naruto getting angry, but a hand on his shoulder made him pause.

“Naruto-san, Madara means no harm. Your teachers were wonderful, I am sure, but they did not know how to deal with someone with as much chakra and potential you do.” Hashirama said squeezing Naruto’s shoulder a bit.

Naruto deflated and he looked down.

“Just give it a chance.” Hashirama begged.

“Fine...does that mean I’ll have to move into the Uchiha compound?” Naruto asked curiously.

“For now, yes. Until we figure out something better.” Tobirama said coldly.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, but sighed.

“I guess that’s ok.” Naruto replied.

Madara smirked.

 

Naruto gasped as he walked around the compound. To be honest, he had never seen inside the compound walls when Sasuke was living there, so he was amazed by all he saw. People stared at him, whispering among themselves, but since he was with Madara, no one dared approach him.

“It’s big.” Naruto muttered.

“Oh? Have you never been inside?” Madara asked.

“Ah Sasuke...he really never invited anyone inside after...what happened.” Naruto muttered, scratching his cheek.

“I see.” Madara said.

“Madara-sama?” someone called.

They looked up to see a drop dead gorgeous woman standing before them. Tall with raven black hair and dark eyes, she was a beauty and Naruto felt himself blush a bit.

“Ah, Naomi. Just who I wished to see.” Madara said and she bowed.

“I came as soon as I heard.” her eyes drifted to Naruto and she gave a sniff.

“Is this him?” she asked boredly.

“This is Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, this is Uchiha Naomi. She will be your teacher from here on out.” Madara said.

“Oh! Nice to meet you!” Naruto said with a quick bow.

Naomi’s eyes drifted to Madara and she gave him a look.

“This is it?” Naomi said.

Naruto straightened up a bit and looked at her, frowning.

“I expected...more. Especially since you recommended him so highly, Madara-sama. I can say I’m...disappointed.” she stated.

Naruto scowled and took a step forward.

“A lot of people have been and I have proven them wrong every time. Just try me.” Naruto demanded hotly.

She scowled.

“Watch yourself, boy.” she relied.

“Don’t look down on me. I promise you won’t like what happens if you do.” Naruto said angrily.

“Then prove it.” she said before turning.

Madara sighed. Naomi was the epitome of Uchiha beauty, but she had a temper that rivalled no other. That is why she was his right hand woman. They came to a small training ground and he could already see people mulling around, waiting for the show to start. Naomi stood in the middle, all grace and flowing clothing with high heels and eyed Naruto boredly. She pulled a single pin from her hair and held it up.

“If you can get this pin from my hair, I will accept you. If not, don’t bother me again.” she said before slipping it back.

Naruto cracked his knuckles and grinned.

“Bring it on then.” he replied.

The fight from there was fierce. Madara could admit, even he was impressed by Naruto’s cunning. He used his clones to their full ability, but when it came to other jutsus, he was clearly limited. Naomi seemed to realize this as well because she scuffed.

“Is that really all you have?” she demanded.

Naomi had always been considered a dangerous enemy to have and she was showing it. Knocking down his clones with little to no care, dodging his attacks, slicing and dicing him with her hidden blades. Naruto’s clothes and skin were in tatters, but that wasn’t to say Naruto hadn’t gotten a few good hits on her as well. Her usually neat kept appearance as a little worn and her hair was starting to fall from it’s fancy style.

“I said, don’t look down on me!” Naruto yelled.

The last clone, whom they all had assume was the real Naruto ducked as Naruto came flying at her, a spinning orb in hand. Naomi tried to move back, but her legs were grabbed by two hands, clones that must have hidden underground. He used his clone’s back as a springboard and there was nothing Naomi could do. Even Madara could see the spiral was dangerous and he shot to his feet, ready to stop the boy if he needed to.

“Naomi-sama!” someone in the crowd cried and then there was a huge bang.

The dust slowly cleared and Madara took a step forward to see that Naruto was standing before Naomi, but the spiral was gone. It had shot forward out of his hand and hit the ground nearby, causing the poof of smoke. Slowly, he pulled his hand back and her hairpin was between his fingers, a grin on his face.

“Got’cha.” he said.

The crowd was dead silent, all staring with wide eyes before Naomi let out a barking laugh. Her laughter made Madara pause, he had never seen her laugh so uproariously since the death of her twin sister some years before.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” someone in the crowd muttered.

“He actually won!” someone else said and Madara grinned as he walked towards them. 

Naruto was standing there, holding the pin and staring at her with wide eyes. He didn’t seem to know what to do. Naomi slowly calmed down, wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, giggling slightly.

“Enjoy yourself, Naomi?” Madara asked.

“More than I have in almost five years, Madara-sama.” she replied.

“Are you ok?” Naruto asked nervously.

“I am. Truly I am. You have guts, boy. I like that.” Naomi said with a smirk.

“Does that mean…?” Naruto asked.

“I’ll be your teacher, if just for my own amusement.” Naomi said nodding.

Naruto let out a cheer and hugged Naomi, making her pause before sighing.

“He’s one of those, huh?” she said to Madara.

“He likes you, it seems.” Madara said pleased.

 

“She’s a demon.” Naruto moaned two days later.

After moving him into Madara’s home, the boy had started training with Naomi right away and she had not been kind. Definitely a bigger taskmaster than either Jiraiya or Kakashi had ever been. Madara just chuckled as he read over a scroll he had in his hands.

“I warned you, but you said you could handle it.” Madara said.

Naruto crawled over to where Madara was sitting and laid on the floor there.

“Just let me die here.” he muttered into the floorboards.

“Oh please, I’m not even that bad.” Naomi said as she entered the room, tea tray in hand.

“You’re evil.” Naruto muttered and she sighed.

“Just go wash up. You smell.” she demanded.

He slowly got up and stumbled his way out of the room. Naomi watched him go before nodding. She sat beside Madara and took a cup of tea from the tray.

“How is he doing?” Madara asked and she smirked.

“He complains a lot, but I have never seen someone with more determination. He’s only sore because he refused to quit until he had mastered the Taijutsu I was teaching him. He is...something else.” she said pleased.

Madara lowered the scroll.

“That’s some high praise from you.” he replied simply.

She nodded absently.

“You are distracted.” Madara said concerned.

She frowned and placed her cup down.

“He called himself stupid today. He got frustrated and told me he might be too stupid to learn what I was trying to teach him.” Naomi said softly.

Madara frowned.

“And that concerns you?” he asked.

She snorted.

“If he’s stupid, I would rather train ten idiots like him that hundred of our clan’s so called geniuses.” Naomi admitted.

“Then why does this upset you?” Madara asked.

She glanced at him. 

“He sees little value in himself. Surely, you have seen it.” Naomi stated.

Madara sighed and nodded.

“I have seen as much.” Madara admitted.

“Then do something about it.” Naomi said coldly.

He blinked.

“Me?” Madara said.

“He thinks highly of you. He was worried if he didn’t master my Taijutsu, you would be disappointed.” Naomi stood up and dusted herself off before bowing and leaving.

Madara sat in silence, long after she left.

 

Naomi scowled as she walked around the compound. The little brat. How dare he be late to training with her! He would rue the day! She came across a small circle of children and paused, confused. They were all sitting around Naruto, one even curled up on his lap. He was telling an amazing story about a Slug Princess who had mastered her fear of blood to become a powerful leader of her village.

Naomi sniffed. Ok, maybe this was a good excuse. With the constant fighting the last few years, many children had been left abandoned or orphaned. Keeping them entertained and out of harm’s way was a difficult task in itself. She watched as the story finished and the kids scattered when they saw her. She walked over and Naruto gave her a sweet smile.

“I didn’t mean to take so long. They kept asking me for stories and I can’t say no.” Naruto said gently.

“I will admit, I enjoyed your story, but next time at least, let me know you will be late.” Naomi said simply.

Naruto just shot her a smile as they started walking back to the training ground. As they walked, Naruto waved and yelled his greetings to various clan members, most of whom replied in kind.

“You seem quite popular.” she noted.

“Huh really?” he asked.

“Yes, quite. How do you know them all?” she asked.

“Well, when you’re busy and we can’t train, I wander around and see who needs help. Figured might as well.” Naruto shrugged.

“Is that so?” Naomi asked.

Admitted, she had been busy as of late. Just because she was his teacher now did not mean she could ignore her duties as Madara’s right hand. Often, she had cancelled their sessions due to issues in the clan. She had never considered what he did on those days.

“Interesting.” Naomi muttered to herself as a clan member stopped to ask Naruto about what he thought of something.

She smirked. It seemed like to her the boy was becoming a part of their clan more and more each day.

 

“You wanted to see me?” Madara asked as he stood in Hashirama’s office.

“Yes, how is our little time traveller doing?” Hashirama asked smiling.

Madara sat down.

“He is training with Naomi (Hashirama winced). She claims he is making amazing progress.” Madara stated.

“That’s great! I am pleased.” Hashirama said sighing. 

Like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Hashirama eyed Madara and smiled.

“You’ve been calmer the last few days.” Hashirama teased.

Madara paused. Had he? He did admit he felt a bit content, maybe it was because he had an end goal now?

“I suppose so.” Madara said with a smile.

 

Madara returned later that night, a little buzzed because Hashirama insisted on breaking out the sake. The man’s tolerance for that drink was legendary, but Madara could never back down from a challenge. Still, he wished the world would stop spinning long enough for him to get home.

“I am home.” he said quietly as he entered the house.

He wasn’t sure who he was saying it to. Naruto should be asleep, so it’s not like anyone was around to hear it. He moved towards his room before stopping. A shadow in the courtyard made his body tense, his mind go haywire. An intruder? How had someone gotten into his courtyard without anyone knowing? 

His hand moved towards his waist, where his knives lay waiting and his eyes changed, allowing him to see better. He opened the door a crack and paused.

“Naruto-san?” he called, startling the young man.

Naruto yelped and jumped back, startled.

“Oh! Madara! Sorry, I didn’t see you there!” Naruto said with a smile.

He was shirtless, only wearing a simple pair of pants. Under the full moon, his skin sparkled like diamonds. Madara was a bit distracted before he looked at Naruto.

“I just got back. What are you doing?” Madara asked.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck and walked closer.

“Couldn’t sleep, so I figured I’d do some of the exercises Naomi-sensei taught me for chakra control.” Naruto said simply.

“If I remember correctly, that’s the excuse you told me last night as well. And the night before that. And the night before that one.” Madara replied, crossing his arms.

Naruto flushed.

“I ummm have trouble sleeping?” Naruto said nervously.

Madara sighed deeply.

“Naruto-san, you need sleep. Everyone does.” Madara explained.

Naruto’s head dropped and he looked sad.

“I can’t...I have these...nightmares.” Naruto muttered.

He looked so lost when he said it like that and Madara might be a cold hearted bastard, but he wasn’t a demon. Madara knew the boy couldn’t keep this up forever.

“I will give you something to help you sleep. Follow me.” Madara said finally.

Naruto smiled and followed Madara to his room. There Madara gave him a small ball. Naruto looked at it and then at him.

“It contains herbs that help your body fall asleep dreamlessly. I won’t give it to you all the time, but for tonight, take it and get some rest.” Madara said. 

Naruto flashed him a smile and a quick goodnight before he was gone. Madara ignored the way his heart felt calm afterwards.

 

“Naruto, you need to focus! What even was that!” Naomi snapped angrily from the forest floor.

Naruto let out little pants, trying to ignore the sweat on his brow. 

“I-I’m sorry.” he muttered and she sighed.

“Let’s stop for now.” Naomi said.

“No! I can keep going, honest!” Naruto said panicked.

Naomi stormed up the tree and pulled the boulders from his arms. The training today was about focus and multitasking. He was supposed to keep his balance, upside down on a tree branch, while holding two boulders on his arms and answering her questions at the same time. Naomi had learned that Naruto had very little focus, jumping from one thing to the next with no understanding as to why it was wrong or how it could, you know, get him killed. She mentally cursed his former teachers.

“Boy, this is not torture, I am not trying to break you. You can take a break.” Naomi said dropping the boulders and pulling him onto the tree branch. 

She crossed her arms, scowling as Naruto sat there, looking away from her, shoulders slumped.

“Now stop acting like I kicked your puppy and tell me what is going on here.” Naomi said calmly.

Naruto glanced at her before looking down.

“I’m not progressing anymore.” he muttered.

She blinked.

“Well of course.” she replied and he huffed, frustrated.

“But how am I supposed to be stronger if I’ve stopped progressing?” Naruto said angrily.

Naomi frowned.

“Boy, do you realize how far you have come since I met you just two weeks ago? I mean you have surpass my expectations by leaps and bounds and you are still not happy with that?” Naomi demanded.

“I know, but!” Naruto was cut off.

“Naruto, listen to me. You have worked hard, worked yourself to exhaustion, for days now. I’m not shocked that your body is finally protesting the harsh conditions. Now, why don’t you go home and get some sleep?” Naomi commanded.

Naruto stood up and sighed. He looked at her and then smiled.

“Thanks, Naomi-sensei.” he muttered.

She nodded.

“Go home. I have to meet with Madara-sama anyway.” she said simply.

He nodded and ran off, her dark eyes watching before she sighed and looked at the sky.

“Mitsuki, are you watching me? Because I hope you are enjoying this little laugh, you bitch.” Naomi scowled.

She left and returned to Madara’s house. A quick check told her the boy was fast asleep in his bed. Probably hadn’t even bathed. She wiggled her nose a bit before she started looking for Madara. She found him in his study and knocked.

“Enter.” he called.

She bowed and knelt on the floor, waiting.

“What is it, Naomi? Were you not training with Naruto today?” Madara asked, not looking up.

“We were, but I sent him to bed. He’s exhausted.” she replied.

“I’m not shocked. He’s been training at night as well.” Madara said.

Naomi blinked, startled.

“Wait, he’s been training by himself as well?” Naomi demanded.

“It seems so.” Madara said.

She scowled.

“No wonder then.” she muttered annoyed.

No wonder he had been so tired the last few days. Her trainings were grueling, but if he was also training by himself, then she was shocked he wasn’t more tired than he was.

“And you think it is wise for him to do so much? That is a lot of strain on his body.” Naomi asked.

“I have been keeping an eye on him while he trains. I do not want him to die after all.” Madara said as he looked up.

For a moment, Naomi sat, frozen before she spoke.

“Madara-sama...there is more to this boy than you’ve said, isn't there?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, I do believe Naruto will help us bring the Uchiha clan into a new age.” Madara said calmly.

Naomi nodded slowly.

“Which means he must be ready when the time comes, Naomi. I expect you to have him ready when I need him. Understand?” Madara demanded, his eyes changing.

She bowed low.

“Yes, Madara-sama.” Naomi replied.

“Good, dismissed.” Madara waved her off and she left quietly.

Madara paused before he looked at the scroll again. It was almost time.

 

Another week went by and Naruto was starting to feel better. Of course, Naomi had ripped him up one side and down the other when she learned about his nightly training, but after promising to stop, she seemed to calm down. He was starting to progress a bit again, which he was pleased with, but he was still stuck when it came to making any real headway and that was putting him in a bad mood.

Sighing, he stared out at the rain. Naomi had told him she hated training in the rain, so whenever it rained, he was stuck inside. He considered going out to train anyway, but just then the door opened and Madara stepped out.

“Good morning. No training today?” Madara asked as he sat down.

“She said she didn’t want to ruin her hair.” Naruto said with a huff.

“Not a shock.” Madara replied.

They sat in silence for a while before Madara spoke.

“Your training is going well. I am pleased.” he said simply, but Naruto perked up.

“Really?” Naruto asked, excitedly.

“Of course. As I said before, I was not pleased with how little your former teachers trained you. Naomi is a much better teacher.” Madara said.

Naruto’s smile died and he looked down. There was sorrow in his eyes.

“Jiraiya wasn’t a great teacher...but...I miss him.” Naruto said softly.

Madara paused, turning to him. The sorrow in his voice was thick. He had never considered one of his teachers might have passed on, but it explained why the boy so vehemently defended him.

“What happened?” Madara asked.

“He died...he...there was this organization going after the Jinchuriki. He went to find the leader, stop him if he could. He died...trying to save me.” Naruto’s eyes were wet and the tears rolled down his face.

“I never...got to say goodbye.” Naruto choked.

Madara looked away and stared out at the rain.

“Sorrow never quite goes away. I’m sure he thought he was doing what was best.” Madara said.

“I know.” Naruto said a bit later.

“I apologize for speaking so lowly of him.” Madara whispered.

Naruto smiled and looked down.

“Thank you. He was like a grandfather to me. One of the few people in this world I considered my actual family.” Naruto said softly.

Madara nodded his head. He was starting to understand that Naruto loved deeper than any well. There was an odd twist in his gut when he thought about that.

“Can I ask you something?” Naruto asked after a moment or two.

“Of course.” Madara replied.

Naruto was tracing the wood grain on the table, eyes downcast. Madara frowned, wondering.

“I’m never going home, am I?” Naruto asked finally and Madara sighed.

“We are not even sure how you got here. Therefore, reversing that is a little difficult. I know Hashirama and Tobirama have been working on it.” Madara stated.

Naruto nodded absently, staring at the grain. Madara found the silence daunting.

“Kurama says he’s not sure what he did. He just knew we were dying and he sent us away.” Naruto said.

Madara blinked. The Kyuubi had been the one to send them to the past? They had never considered that.

“It could explain why you were so exhausted when you got here then.” Madara said rubbing his chin.

If the Kyuubi had been the one to send them into the past, the danger must have been extreme.

“Naruto-san, would you be against me talking to him?” Madara asked.

Naruto shifted nervously.

“Honestly, if you go in there alone, he will probably eat you. I would suggest bringing someone with you.” Naruto said.

Madara nodded.

 

“You want us to speak with the Kyuubi?” Hashirama asked, mouth hanging open.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Tobirama demanded.

“According to Naruto-san, the Kyuubi is who sent them into the past. If we can speak to him, we might have a chance to send him back. But if I go in alone, there is a good chance he will...eat me.” Madara said simply, Naruto nodding along by his side.

“And what makes you think he wants to talk to us?” Tobirama asked, but as he looked at his brother, he had this stupid giddy look on his face that he only got when he was about to do something really stupid.

“Tobirama~” Hashirama said delighted.

“No.” Tobirama.

“Little brother.”

“Absolutely not.”

“My darling sibling.”

“You are insane, Hashirama.”

Hashirama gave him a pout with full blown puppy eyes and Tobirama sighed.

“Fine.” he muttered, shoulders slumping as Hashirama cheered.

Ten minutes later, they found themselves ankle deep in sewer water.

“This is awful.” Tobirama said coldly.

“It’s so huge.” Hashirama said with awe.

They started walking, following the long tunnel until they came across a huge room. The cage doors were open, but the Kyuubi still seemed to be sitting inside them. He scowled when they came close.

“I should devour you all and stop this tragedy before it begins.” Kurama growled.

“We want to help you and Naruto-san get back home.” Hashirama said.

Kurama laid his head on his paws and just stared.

“Even if you do send us back, there is a chance we could end up in even more danger than we were before.” Kurama stated.

“What happened to you both? Why were you in such a state?” Tobirama demanded.

Kurama eyed the man before scuffing.

“The same reason we are always in such a state. The Uchiha clan.” Kurama said coldly.

“Sasuke?” Hashirama asked.

Kurama nodded.

“The boy is as twisted as they come. Naruto saved him over and over and he still would not accept it. He demanded a final fight, to prove himself superior once and for all. Instead, Naruto was on the verge of death. I had no choice.” Kurama said slowly.

“But do you know what you did?” Hashirama asked.

Here, the Kyuubi looked away, scowling.

“No. I simply used my power to send us away. I never expected it to work out like this. I have no idea what happened.” Kurama muttered.

“So this was a waste of time then.” Tobirama said coldly.

Kurama glared angrily.

“Not in my book. Now that I have all three of you here, let me make one thing clear.” he said getting up.

His eyes were glowing red and the area around them started to heat up.

“If you all so much as consider using my host for your own twisted ideals, I will escape and I will rip all three of you to pieces myself before descending on the village you all care about so much. Understand?” he growled, low and dark.

“You seem to think your host is helpless.” Hashirama said calmly.

Kurama let out a boisterous laugh.

“Oh, none of you have even seen what my host can truly do. If you think the little demonstration he did in the Uchiha compound was all he is capable of, you know nothing.” Kurama laughed.

“There is more he hasn’t shown us?” Madara asked.

The boy was still hiding power? How curious.

“Yes, but I’ll let him show you if he wishes. Now go, I do not wish to see any of you a moment longer.” Kurama demanded.

Before they had a chance, they found themselves thrown out and back in the real world. Madara slowly shook his head as he leaned back.

“That was...pleasant.” Madara said.

Naruto let out a soft moan and rubbed his eyes.

“Did he tell you anything?” Naruto asked.

“Only that he has no idea how you both got here and that you were hiding power from us.” Tobirama said.

“Oh…” Naruto looked down.

“I will admit, I am curious about this power you are hiding.” Hashirama said leaning in.

“I’m not really sure if I am hiding it. I’m just having trouble connecting to it.” Naruto admitted.

“Trouble?” Madara asked.

Naruto nodded and then closed his eyes. They watched as Naruto changed before their eyes, but it was clear he couldn’t hold it for long and it quickly faded away. Naruto was panting heavily.

“I am not sure why, but I can’t seem to hold it. I think something was damaged when we were sent into the past. It’s called Sage Mode.” Naruto admitted.

“I see…” Hashirama rubbed his chin.

“And that’s why you have been trying to get stronger? To get it back?” Madara asked.

“I’m not sure if it will ever come back, so I am training to get stronger to protect myself.” Naruto said.

“Either way, it’s a good idea to keep it to yourself for now.” Hashirama said simply.

Madara’s eyes were dark.

 

Madara tapped his finger on his desk, staring blankly at the scroll before him. With a swipe, the scroll hit the floor alongside his brush and ink. It would surely leave a stain, but he didn’t care. He gripped his hair and tugged, angry with himself. His plan was coming along nicely. Naruto trusted him, believed in him and he was getting stronger by the day. The boy alone, without the biju, would be a fine weapon against the Senju clan, but…

“Why?” he hissed.

Why was he suddenly doubting himself? Why was he suddenly getting this horrible, twisting feeling in his gut? Why did every time he close his eyes, he saw Naruto’s face twist into the empty, dead eyed stare of when they had first found him? Naruto was needed for his clan to succeed! For them to thrive! So why was this suddenly happening?

The young man was smart, charming, a little obvious, but gentle and kind. Naomi seemed to adore him, she spoke highly of him every time they saw each other. He had heard stories among his clan of Naruto stopping to help them in his spare time. Taking care of children and helping to build their compound. He was kind, he was generous, he was…

“He is the Kyuubi.” Madara hissed, slamming his fist on the table.

He is powerful, he is a host, he is the key to everything. Madara couldn’t let his own emotions blind him to that. Naruto was the weapon he had been waiting for. He would not fail now.

 

“Naruto-san, may I have a word?” Madara said.

Naomi looked at him and he gave her a nod, a clear dismissal. She seemed to pause and that made him angry. She had never had trouble before listening to his commands, even if she didn’t approve. His eyes flashed and she swallowed before bowing and walking away. Naruto looked up from where he was bent over, panting. His was shirtless, his seal on full display after training all morning. Madara had ordered Naomi to push him hard, wanting him, needing him to be exhausted for this plan to work. He wanted this to be quick and easy, for both of them.

“Y-Yeah, alright.” Naruto muttered wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Follow me.” Madara said before taking off.

Naruto blinked, but took off after him. Madara led him as far as he could, to a cliffside nearby and stopped. Naruto gasped in delight, staring at the open sky before him. As Madara watched, Naruto took several steps forward, standing on the very edge of the cliff.

“It’s amazing.” Naruto muttered.

Madara said nothing. Instead, he pulled the scroll from his sleeve. This was it. Months of work and study all came down to this. If he could not place this seal on Naruto, he would never gain control of the host and the Kyuubi would be lost to him. He took a step forward. His hands were shaking.

“The sky looks so big.” Naruto muttered, hands behind his back.

Madara swallowed, his brow dotted with sweat. He took another step. With the sun above him, Naruto’s shadow seem to loom over him. The seal seemed heavy in his hands.

“Madara?” Naruto called and Madara paused.

“Yes?” he asked startled.

He was right behind Naruto now. Just one more step.

“Is this the part where you betray me?” Naruto asked.

His voice was so calm, so sincere and Madara felt his guts twist violently. His eyes widened.

“What?” he muttered.

Naruto turned to him and looked down at the scroll in his hands.

“I had a feeling...that was the case.” Naruto said.

Madara had no words. He had known? All this time?

“How...long?” Madara asked.

Naruto chuckled.

“From the start. I’m not stupid you know. I know that you want Kurama’s power. You Uchihas all seem to work and think the exact same way.” Naruto said softly.

Madara watched as Naruto stared down at the seal. Everything he had worked for was right here, in front of his eyes. He had to do it. For the sake of everything.

“Do it.” Naruto demanded.

Madara and he locked eyes. He could see the rage, the pain behind his words, but also the fear.

“Just do it. Don’t keep me waiting. I’ve waited long enough.” Naruto said angrily. 

Madara activated his Sharingan, the scroll felt like it weighed a million pounds. He had to do this. He had to do this! Naruto kept his eyes locked with his and the scroll fell.

“I can’t.” Madara said slowly.

Naruto blinked startled as Madara pulled him in close. The scroll lay forgotten on the ground.

 

Madara opened his eyes and frowned. His head was cushioned on Naruto’s lap and they were still on the cliffside, though sitting under a tree away from the edge. The sun was starting to set and Madara felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Naruto said looking down.

The hand running through his hair stopped and he found he missed it immediately.

“What happened?” Madara asked.

“You fainted. Gave me a real scare too.” Naruto chuckled.

Madara turned his head and found the scroll laying on the ground some ways away. He had...fainted? He should have felt embarrassed, but instead he felt empty. Empty, but calm.

“You knew...all this time and yet you let me get close to you. Why?” Madara asked.

Naruto shrugged. His fingers started to run through his hair again and that was nice. No one had done this for him since he was a child. His eyes drifted close and he sighed. They sat in silence for a while before Naruto spoke.

“You know...when Sasuke betrayed the village, I felt like I had died inside.” Naruto whispered.

Madara opened his eyes. Naruto had spoken so much of this other Uchiha that Madara almost felt like he knew him. Maybe he did in a way. They were so similar.

“I felt like my chest had been ripped open and my heart ripped out. He was my best friend, my brother in all, but blood. I would have done anything to make him stay.” Naruto said.

“But I failed...over and over and over. And when I met you...I saw the same darkness that stole him away from me. I didn’t want to fail again.” Naruto admitted softly before laughing.

“I guess you can say I’m selfish.” Naruto muttered.

If that’s what he called selfish, he wondered what Naruto thought of what he was trying to do.

“How did you know I would stop?” Madara asked.

Naruto blinked and looked at him funny.

“I didn’t.” he replied.

Madara blinked.

“Did you know what the seal was going to do?” Madara asked.

“I had an idea. Ero-senin taught me seals while I was travelling with him. While you were out, I had a clone look at it.” Naruto admitted with a flush.

“Then you knew what I was planning and you said...nothing.” Madara asked.

Naruto shrugged.

“I was going to steal away your freedom.” Madara stressed and Naruto chuckled.

“You forget. I’m a jinchuriki. I never had any freedom to begin with.” Naruto said. 

Madara closed his eyes. There was so much he wanted to ask, but he was tired and the fingers in his hair were really nice.

“Go to sleep. We can talk more later.” Madara nodded as he drifted off.

 

Meanwhile, Tobirama watched this all with disgust, anger and some relief. Next to him, Hashirama had his arms crossed, smiling.

“I told you he wouldn’t go through with it.” Hashirama said smugly.

“He got way too close.” Tobirama replied.

He eyed the third person with them, wondering what her involvement in this was.

“Naomi-san, are you ok?” Tobirama asked.

She had a hand placed against her chest and she let out a deep sigh.

“I am now. I was worried we wouldn’t make it in time.” she admitted slowly.

“He will be furious when he finds out.” Hashirama said nervously.

Naomi nodded.

“I know, but...If he had gone through with it, I think it would have destroyed them both.” Naomi said calmly.

Tobirama’s eyes narrowed and he turned to see Naruto glance over his shoulder in their direction.

“We’ve been found out.” he said.

“What? Really?” Hashirama asked looking.

“Are you guys gonna come out?” Naruto called.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Naomi said while Hashirama made a face.

They jumped out and stood before the young man. Hashirama eyed his old friend and smiled.

“I’m sorry.” Naruto said softly.

“For what?” Hashirama asked startled.

“For causing so many problems.” Naruto said with a flush.

“Causing them? I think you might have solved them if anything.” Hashirama replied.

Naruto flashed him a smile.

 

The next time Madara woke up, he was in his bed at home. He, at first, questioned how he gotten there, but a soft snore nearby caused him to look over. Naruto sat, curled up in the corner, sleeping, a single blanket thrown over him. The door opened just then and Naomi stepped inside. She paused when she saw he was awake.

“Oh good, you’re up.” she said placing a tray of tea on the floor. 

He sat up slowly, staring her down. Her hands were shaking.

“What changed, Naomi?” he asked.

She paused, hands holding cup to him before she lowered them.

“You would have destroyed us all. In the end, you would have destroyed the very thing you sought to protect.” Naomi said simply.

“So you betrayed us?” Madara demanded.

“Did I? Or was I looking out for our future while you were blinded by your grand plan?” she replied harshly.

Madara grit his teeth.

“Madara-sama. Look at me.” she said.

He glanced her way and her eyes were sad.

“We have lost so much. I have had to bury my sister, my parents, my cousins and I couldn’t stand the idea I might have to bury you too. You are the only one keeping our clan together. We need you.” she begged.

His eyes drifted to Naruto, still asleep in the corner.

“Then what would you have me do?” he demanded.

“Swallow your pride for one.” she snapped.

He glared at her and their Sharingans clashed.

“And how would you have me do that?” Madara asked coldly.

“Should I go?” a third voice said.

They turned to see Naruto was awake, watching them warily.

“No, you need to hear this as well.” Naomi said calmly.

Naruto blinked, eyes wide before he nodded.

“Our clan is dying, we all know that. We have been fighting battles we didn’t need to fight and for what? Pride? We have a chance here to secure a place for the next generation. Do not screw it up, Madara.” Naomi hissed.

Madara stared her down, rage building in his chest. How dare she. Who did she think she was? She clearly knew how angry he was, but she held his stare anyway.

“That might be a bit much.” Naruto said and Naomi glanced at him.

“But I am not lying. We are teetering on the edge of history here. We are making our mark in the sand. Any change now would most certainly cause our clan to be wiped from the history books forever.” Naomi explained.

“So I should hold my tongue and let Hashirama run the village alone?” Madara demanded.

“Who said he was doing it alone?” Naruto asked.

They looked at him.

“Hashirama has great respect for you, Madara. He asks your opinion, goes to you for guidance. Yes, you might not agree all the time, but no two people always do.” Naruto explained.

Naruto crossed the floor and sat down next to Naomi. He placed his hands on Madara’s and smiled.

“You want the best for your clan and so does he. No one ever said he had to make all the decisions alone. Ask to be his advisor. Together, I think the two of you will do wonders.” Naruto said and Madara relaxed.

“You think it will be that simple?” Madara asked.

“No, but if it was, where’s the fun in that? We all know Tobirama is going to challenge it, but Hashirama trusts you. Don’t lose that.” Naruto said with a nod.

Madara nodded his head and squeezed Naruto’s hand, making him flush.

 

“An advisor?” Hashirama said, rubbing his chin.

Madara nodded. Hashirama laughed.

“It’s like you read my mind! I was going to ask you that myself.” Hashirama said lightly.

Madara frowned.

“Is that so?” Madara asked.

“Yes, Naruto-san has made me realize something. We wanted to start this village to help bridge the gap between our two clans, but all we’ve done is more them closer to each other. We need to start soothing the waters between them and I think this is just what we need to do.” Hashirama said with a nod.

Madara looked away with a chuckle.

“It seems he is doing that a lot as of late” Madara sipped his tea.

Hashirama looked at the table, eyes trained on the grain before he sighed.

“I have spoken to my clan about Naruto. Not the whole thing, of course, but of the circumstances of him living at the Uchiha compound. They were not pleased, but  they respected my decision.” Hashirama said.

“And?” Madara asked.

“I do believe Naruto is the key to fix our clans issues. I want to propose to Naruto, and you if you are willing, a marriage contact.” Hashirama explained.

Madara stiffened. Marriage?

“And you think that will work?” Madara asked.

“It’s worth a shot.” Hashirama shrugged.

“And you would be willing to let me have the container of the Kyuubi?” Madara stressed.

Hashirama paused and looked away.

“We saw you two...On the cliffside.” Hashirama stated.

Madara nodded. He had figured as much.

“And you did nothing?” Madara asked curiously.

Hashirama coughed with a blush.

“Actually, we only got there as you fainted.” Hashirama snorted.

Madara flushed and looked away. Well, that’s embarrassing.

“But, from what I saw you stopped yourself from making possibly the biggest mistake of your life and from destroying a young man’s life. I think you need to give yourself more credit.” Hashirama replied.

“There is still a good chance I could betray you. I could decide tomorrow to use the seal on him anyway.” Madara stated.

“You could. But you won’t.” Hashirama smiled.

And god damn it, he was right. Even just talking about it made his guts twist in knots. The idea of using the seal on Naruto now was repulsive.

“See? I think Naruto-san has changed us all for the better.” Hashirama said.

 

“M-M-MARRIAGE!” Naruto stammered.

“Correct.” Madara said calmly.

The boy looked ashen and he had to wonder if he should have waited to tell him anything. Naruto sat back down and nervous played with his hair. It was getting long.

“Hashirama thinks it will be a good idea. To help join the clans together.” Madara said.

“But I’m not even really a part of his clan.” Naruto muttered.

“True, but it works in our favor. You are an Uzumaki and have been claimed as such by Hashirama. Because you don’t know them and they don’t really know you, they would be more likely to accept the marriage.” Madara stated.

Naruto traced the grain on the table and glanced at him.

“What about you?” Naruto whispered.

“Me?” Madara paused.

“Yes, will you be ok with this? I mean…” Naruto rubbed the back of his neck and Madara smiled.

“I will be just fine.” he replied.

And he knew he would be.

 

“Just sign here.” Hashirama said as he handed the scroll over.

Naruto was sweating. It had been weeks of back and forth between the two clans. Weeks of planning a small, but intimate ceremony that combined both clans traditions into one so that neither side had felt disrespected or left out. As he looked down at the scroll, essentially sealing his fate, his hands were shaking.

A gentle touch to his shoulder and he looked up. Madara stood there, a soft smile on his face.

“If you need more time, it can wait another day or two.” Madara said gently.

Naruto swallowed and shook his head. He put the brush to the paper and signed his name. As Hashirama took the scroll back, Naruto watched as Madara did the same and then there was a flurry of motion. He was dragged away. One last glance over his shoulder and he caught Madara’s eye. They smiled at each other.

If you asked Naruto what happened next, he couldn’t tell you. There was a lost of stuff going on. His face was painted, his hair was done, his clothes were changed. All of this felt like it took too long and yet no time at all and then, he was standing at the altar. As Naruto stood there, he peeked at Madara and had to hold his breath. He looked amazing. Naruto flushed and looked down.

“You look amazing.” Madara muttered as they joined hands.

Naruto smiled, eyes sparkling.

“You do too.” Naruto replied.

The ceremony seemed to drag on forever. There were a lot of traditions they had to go through and by the time they were done, Naruto felt sweaty and tired. The stress of everything had finally hit him as they walked back to the house. He leaned against Madara’s side and felt him chuckle.

“Tired?” Madara asked.

“Exhausted.” Naruto replied yawning.

Madara paused before scooping Naruto up into his arms. Naruto yelped, but clung to his neck. Peeking out, he noticed Madara smiling and huffed.

“Jerk.” Naruto muttered as he nuzzle his face into Madara’s neck.

“Your jerk now.” Madara said simply and Naruto flushed.

“Yeah, my jerk.” Naruto replied sweetly.

 

“Ojii-san, look!” a small child with bright blue eyes and raven black hair held up a small toad with a big grin.

“My, you’ve finally caught him, huh? Sorry about that, Gamamaru.” Naruto said as he gently took the toad from the small child’s hands.

“No problem, Boss.” the toad gave a salute before popping away.

“So, so, so?” the boy bounced up and down.

“So what? Use your words.” Madara said simply as he walked out onto the porch.

The boy paused, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Sorry, Ojii-sama. Does this mean you will teach me the Summon Jutsu now?” the boy asked.

Naruto hummed and rubbed his chin, as if thinking about it.

“I don’t know.” Naruto said and the boy deflated before Naruto smiled and rubbed his hair.

“I’ll talk to your mom and we’ll see ok? I’m sure she’ll say yes.” Naruto stated as the boy cheered and ran off.

Naruto chuckled as he leaned against his husband’s arm.

“I don’t know where he gets it.” Naruto said.

“You don’t? Have you looked in a mirror lately?” Madara asked with fake surprise.

Naruto elbowed him before smiling.

“Shut up, you.” Naruto muttered.

Had he ever felt so content? So calm? Watching as the children ran around under their watchful eyes, as they played and enjoyed life, Naruto could only feel the swell of emotion in his chest of pure joy. This. This is what he had always wanted. Sure, none of them were related to him by blood, but they were all his children, various orphans they had picked up on their travels to different lands.

But as far as Naruto was concerned, they were his family. He watched as Naomi stepped into the courtyard and the children ran to her to start their training for the day and sighed.

“Thank you.” Madara said suddenly.

Naruto glanced up, startled.

“For what?” Naruto asked.

“For this second chance. For coming into my life. For saving me.” Madara listed off, but Naruto placed a finger to his lips and smiled.

“And thank you for giving me a chance.” Naruto replied.

Madara bent down and they shared a kiss, much to the disgust of the children and the laughter of their teacher.


End file.
